METHOD FOR BIOINDICATION OF WATER BODIES Russian patent published in 2011 - IPC G01N33/00 C12Q1/02 C12Q1/68 

FIELD: physics.

SUBSTANCE: method for bioindication of water bodies involves collecting samples of planktons inhabiting in a water body, determining the contamination level by analysing said samples and assessing the analysis results. The contamination level is determined via phylogenetic analysis of ribosomal RNA genes (18S rRNA) of planktons in the sample. Phylogenetic trees built from the conservative 18S rRNA gene are determined and evolutionary relationships of the analysed object with other saprobionts are identified. Analysis results are assessed as follows: at high (over 85%) value of bootstrap support of clusters containing the analysed planktons and resistant saprobionts, the following conclusions are made: resistant indicator organisms xeno- or oligosaprobic (or exclusively xenosaprobic) of water bodies and the analysed plankton merge into one cluster, it is concluded that the water body is in a safe ecological state and there is no threat of negative anthropogenic action, if resistant indicator organisms oligo- and mesosaprobic (or exclusively oligosaprobic) of the water bodies and the analysed plankton merge into one cluster, it is concluded that the water body is in an unstable (transition from safe to unsafe state) ecological state, is under insignificant anthropologic load, is capable of self-recovery and does not need additional environmental protection measures, if resistant indicator organisms meso- and polysaprobic (or exclusively mesosaprobic) of water bodies and the analysed plankton merge into one cluster, it is concluded that the water body is in an unsafe state and is under considerable anthropologic load, natural capability of self-recovery is insufficient and the water body needs environmental protection measures, if resistant indicator organisms of polysaprobic water bodies and the analysed plankton merge into one cluster, it is concluded that there is a local ecological disaster and there is need for urgent recovery measures.

EFFECT: high reliability of the biomonitoring result for use without territorial limit, independent of the geographical location of the investigated water body.

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